Sleepwalker
Contributing Member
1986 Crusader V-6 (4.3L) Points & Coil Ignition with ballast resistor.
Hi. So I have a no start situation and I thought I would provide an update on what I’ve found so far, hoping it will help find the problem. Testing is from suggestions here and a couple other sources. Thanks for bearing with me.
· Battery is charged, now approx. 12.4 V
· Carb is getting gas, verified.
· Engine turns over with key in ignition and turned to start
· Weak appearing spark from Coil high tension wire to ground but light in color
· Have replaced coil, points, condenser & rotor
· Plug and Coil wires are almost new and good quality made in the USA, silicone, etc.
· Verified bright test light with points wedged open, key switch on, test lamp to –coil and ground to battery
· Voltage between + coil and battery ground reads 12.4 V with switch on.
· Voltage between – coil and battery ground reads 12.4 V with switch on and points open.
· Voltage between – coil and battery ground reads 12.4 V with switch on, points open, and 2 wires (gray & black) removed from coil terminal. Is this too high? And if so, what does it mean?
· Voltage between – coil and battery ground with points closed, reads 0.2 V with 2 wires (gray & black) reattached and switch on. (Also got 12.4 V with wires disconnected and same connection)
· Disconnected start by-pass wire from ignition coil side of the ballast resistor. Voltage shows 9.7V when starter is engaged and 0 when disengaged. (volt meter grounded to battery ground) Is this a problem?
· Starter engages and cranks engine when solenoid jumped and ignition switch off
· Voltage checked to solenoid relay. The Yel/Red (goes to small terminal in front of relay) from the ignition switch via the neutral safety switch, reads 8.9V when ign switch is turned to start. The two bigger terminals on the relay were hard to tell wire color because they were painted and a pia to reach but one side was hot, 12.4V with the key switch off, did not engage starter on that one! Should I have tested that way too? The other terminal read 10.0 V when the starter was engaged. Do these seem right?
Thanks, Rich
Hi. So I have a no start situation and I thought I would provide an update on what I’ve found so far, hoping it will help find the problem. Testing is from suggestions here and a couple other sources. Thanks for bearing with me.
· Battery is charged, now approx. 12.4 V
· Carb is getting gas, verified.
· Engine turns over with key in ignition and turned to start
· Weak appearing spark from Coil high tension wire to ground but light in color
· Have replaced coil, points, condenser & rotor
· Plug and Coil wires are almost new and good quality made in the USA, silicone, etc.
· Verified bright test light with points wedged open, key switch on, test lamp to –coil and ground to battery
· Voltage between + coil and battery ground reads 12.4 V with switch on.
· Voltage between – coil and battery ground reads 12.4 V with switch on and points open.
· Voltage between – coil and battery ground reads 12.4 V with switch on, points open, and 2 wires (gray & black) removed from coil terminal. Is this too high? And if so, what does it mean?
· Voltage between – coil and battery ground with points closed, reads 0.2 V with 2 wires (gray & black) reattached and switch on. (Also got 12.4 V with wires disconnected and same connection)
· Disconnected start by-pass wire from ignition coil side of the ballast resistor. Voltage shows 9.7V when starter is engaged and 0 when disengaged. (volt meter grounded to battery ground) Is this a problem?
· Starter engages and cranks engine when solenoid jumped and ignition switch off
· Voltage checked to solenoid relay. The Yel/Red (goes to small terminal in front of relay) from the ignition switch via the neutral safety switch, reads 8.9V when ign switch is turned to start. The two bigger terminals on the relay were hard to tell wire color because they were painted and a pia to reach but one side was hot, 12.4V with the key switch off, did not engage starter on that one! Should I have tested that way too? The other terminal read 10.0 V when the starter was engaged. Do these seem right?
Thanks, Rich